To increase efficiency and profit, manufacturing facilities seek to limit unplanned downtime, assure that consistent quality parameters are maintained, and minimize set-up times and costs. Each of these goals require equipment that is flexible, and that can be updated or replaced quickly.
When a production line goes down because of equipment failure, for example, it is important to replace the equipment quickly to meet production goals. Similarly, when a decision is made to change a welding process used on a manufacturing line it is desirable to be able to re-use the existing equipment, and to re-purpose the equipment for changing requirements. When operators, shifts, or procedures change, it is also important to assure that the same level of quality can be provided, irrespective of the training level of the operator, and without the need for time-consuming set-up procedures on existing equipment.
In manufacturing environments, therefore, it is desirable for welding equipment to be flexible for use in different welding processes, with different welding operators, and for welding different parts. It is also important for management personnel to have the ability to monitor and control the welding processes and parameters to ensure consistent and proper joining of materials, to ensure that completed welds fall within predetermined quality parameters, and to ensure that material waste and operational downtime is avoided. The present invention addresses these and other issues.